Moving toy

ABSTRACT

A toy car in which the drive is produced by an axially extendable rubber cord. This cord may be wound around a rotary member which is connected, in one direction of rotation, by means of a one-way clutch, to a drive shaft for the wheels of the car. When the rubber cord is unwound completely from the rotary member, the one-way clutch slips to permit the drive shaft to continue to rotate. A reverse gearing is provided whereby the rotary member may be turned to wind on the rubber cord by pressing downwardly on the car and pushing it forwards.

United States Patent Bross 5] Feb. 29, 1972 [54] MOVING TOY FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 599,532 3/1948 Great Britain ..46/206 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-A. Heinz Attorney-Spencer & Kaye [57] ABSTRACT A toy car in which the drive is produced by an axially extendable rubber cord. This cord may be wound around a rotary member which is connected, in one direction of rotation, by means of a one-way clutch, to a drive shaft for the wheels of the car. When the rubber cord is unwound completely from the rotary member, the one-way clutch slips to permit the drive shaft to continue to rotate. A reverse gearing is provided whereby the rotary member may be turned to wind on the rubber cord by pressing downwardly on the car and pushing it forwards.

20 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 29, 1972 INVENTOR. HeLmud: 3Y0 BY Q 44 f? Hkbovmgs MOVING 'rov The invention relates to a moving toy, such as a toy vehicle having a mechanical drive. It isan object of the invention to provide for such toys a drive device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which may be operated by children, without difficulty. In the solution of this problem, the fact has been taken into consideration that the satisfaction experienced by a child when playing with a moving toy increases with the magnitude of the movement produced by the drive, for example, with the distance travelled by the toy vehicle.

According to the invention there is provided a moving toy such as a toy vehicle, such toy comprising a housing, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said housing, a rotary member rotatable with respect to said'drive shaft, a one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member in one rotational sense and a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to-said rotary member and arranged to extend from the rotary member in a direction substantially parallel to the one rotational sense, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive shaft is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive shaft until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling to permit said drive shaft to continue to rotate.

The resiliently extensible cord is tensioned by winding onto the rotary member, which is rotated by means of an external displacement movement applied to the toy. The winding on is,

with this arrangement, effected about the longitudinal axis of the rotary member, whereby the cord may bear partially or entirely on'the rotary member or the drive shaft. During the driving phase, in which the cord is unwound, the rotary member rotates in the opposite direction, and is drivingly connected with the drive shaft via the one-way clutch. This connection is always released as soon as, at the end of the driving phase, the driven'toy elements continue their travel due to their momentum. For the winding-on step in which the cord istensioned various means are proposed for converting the external displacement movement into the correct rotation of the rotary member. In its simplest form, this may be done by reverse rotation of the'drive shaft relatively to the direction'of drive rotation. By interposing reversing gearing during the windingon step, tensioning of the-cord may be carried into effect by rotating the drive shaft in the direction of driving rotation or by means of a device provided independently of the drive shaft. In order still further to increase the magnitude already achieved of the movement relatively to the length of travel of the displacement movement, it is possible for the reversing gearing to provide a step-up ratio.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of toy motorcanaccording to the invention, with the upper structure removed to show the working parts;

FIG. 2 shows a first form of embodiment of the one-way clutch suitable for use in the car of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows means for mounting the drive shaft of the car of FIG. 1 so as to prevent overstressing of the resilient cord;

FIG. 4 shows an underneath scrap plan view ofa further embodiment-of toy car according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a further form of embodiment of the one-way clutch;

FIG. 6 shows a still further embodiment of the one-way clutch; 1 7

FIG. 7 shows a scrap elevational view of reversinggearing for the winding onofthe resilient cord; and

FIG. 8 shows afurther embodiment of such reversing gearing.

In each of the Figures, the same or corresponding structural elements have been given the'same reference numerals.

The housing 1 of the toy vehicle is in two parts and has a front axle, mounted in any desired manner provided with travel wheels. The rear axle includes a drive shaft 3 having drive wheels 5 secured thereto, the drive shaft being mounted on the rotary member 6, which is carried in bearings 4 in the housing 1. Provided between the drive shaft 3 and the rotary member 6 is a one-way rotary clutch 2. In this embodiment, a rubber cord 7 is secured, at a point 8, to the periphery of the rotary member 6 and is guided around a pulley 10 in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and connected by an anchor 9 to the housing. At the same time, the rotary member 6 is mounted in the housing 1, so that thecord 7 may advantageously be given a considerable tension without the drive shaft 3 being subjected to a particularly high degree of bearing friction due to the tension of the cord 7. In this embodiment, the rotary member is designed as a spool on the periphery 32 of which the cord is wound. As this is done, the axial winding space for the cord 7 is limited by radial flanges 13, so that the bearings 4 are not contacted by the cord 7.

FIG. 2 shows, to a larger scale,-one embodiment of the oneway clutch 2. Provided on the drive shaft 3 is a radially projecting pin 14 in the rotational path of which is located the free end of a part spiral arcuate spring 15 formed on the rotary member 6. If, for example, during the drive phase, the rotary member'6 is rotated anticlockwise, then the free end of the spring IS'engages on the pin 14 of the drive shaft, by which means a positive connection is established between the rotary member 6 and the drive shaft 3. If, on the other hand, at the end of the drive phase, the rotary member 6 remains at a standstill, then the shaft 3 is able to rotate further in the clockwise direction, due to its angular momentum, the pin 14 meanwhile displacing the spring 15 axially or radially, depending on design, so-that the drive shaft 3 is able to run on unhindered.

As shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, the end face of the spring against which the pin 14 bears is at an angle to a radial plane, so that during the winding on of the cord, before the tension thereof reaches the proportionality limit of the cord material, the pin '14 slides down the angled end face of the spring to release the clutch.

A further safety measure of this kind for preventing overload of the cord during winding on is shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment a nose 16 is provided externally on the rotary member 6, the nose under normal loading of the cord being displaced past an abutment 17 on the housing, without contacting the said abutment. If the tensile force exerted on the cord increases excessively, then the rotary member is displaced, in its bearings, in the direction of the pulling force of the cord. To accommodate this movement, a resilient portion 18 of the bearingfor the rotary member is bent down relatively to a part 19 thereof which is secured to the housing. The nose 16 thus engages-the abutment 17 sothat further rotation of the rotary member 6, and further winding on of the cord 7, is prevented.

FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment, in-which the drive shaft 3 is itselfmountedin the housing 1, whereas a rotary member 21 is coaxially mounted for free movement on thedrive shaft 3, substantially in'the-central zone thereof. Secured against rotation on the drive shaft 3, adjacent-the rotary member 21, is a fixed coupling member 20. The radial 'endsurfaces of the coupling'member 20and the rotary member 21 facing each other have interengageable saw-toothlike formations 22 formed thereon. In order to interengage these formations the rotary member 21 is resiliently urged towards the coupling member 20 by an appropriate obliqueposition of thecord 7 relatively to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft -3. In this embodiment, the cord 7 is designed as a loop, so that-what are obtained are two'parallel cord sections 11 and 12. To obtain the axial force component on-the rotary member 21 one of the cord'sections II has an'oblique portion produced by a guide 23 on the housingOfcourse, it would bepossible, inthis embodiment, to usea'single cord such as that-shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, it is also possible to displacethe clutch 20, 21

Ania:

towards the right, so that they are arranged eccentrically on the drive shaft 3, with the result that, even if viewed from the guide roller 10, an oblique engagement of the cord on the rotary member 21 results. A radial flange 13 is again provided at one end to limit that portion of the surface on which the cord is wound. At the other end a guide 25 is provided for this purpose. Similarly a stop 26 may also be used. The guide 25 or stop 26 engage the cord, to increase the axial force component thereon in such manner that the cord is once again wound on towards the center, if appropriate in a second coil extending over one of the first. In this example of embodiment, according to FIG. 4, a means for preventing overloading of the cord is provided, in an especially simple manner, by the arrangement whereby the drive shaft, when the maximum elongation value of the cord is exceeded, bends in the direction of the tension of the cord. As this takes place, the arm 8, serving simultaneously for securing the cord 7 of the rotary member 21 bears against an abutment 24 on the upper part of the housing, so that further rotation of the rotary member 21 is prevented. In one direction of rotation of the rotary member 21, under the influence of the tension in the cord 7, the steep sawtooth flanks 38 of the saw-toothlike formations on the end faces of the coupling member 20 and of the rotary member 21 interengage, so that a drive connection is established between the rotary member 21 and the drive shaft 3. If, on the other hand, the drive shaft 3 is further rotated in the drive direction, relatively to the stationary rotary member, after the termination of the drive phase, then the flat side 39 of the sawtooth shaped formations slide past each other, so that the drive shaft is able to freewheel.

FIG. shows a further form of a one-way clutch, in which there is fixed on the drive shaft 3 a coupling member 28 having a radial sawtooth formation 29. This coupling member is surrounded by a rotary member 24 provided with a formation 30, corresponding to the sawtooth formation 29, and arranged diametrally opposite the securing point 8 of the cord 7, so that the tension in the cord 7 always forces the rotary member 27 to bear radially against the fixed coupling member 28 to interengage the sawtooth formations 29 and 30. Depending on the direction of rotation, a drive connection is achieved via the steep sawtooth sides 38 or a freewheeling connection along the radial peripheral faces of the two coupling parts. In the coupled position, the adhesion of the steep tooth flank faces 38 one against the other is so considerable that the force component emerging during the winding on of the cord, perpendicularly to the flank faces 38, produces the secure adhesion of the said faces one upon the other. If so required, these faces could be radially grooved.

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a one-way rotary clutch in the form of a rotary member 34 which is mounted coaxially and rotatably on the drive shaft 3 and which is secured against axial displacement on the drive shaft in one direction by appropriate stops 37. A coupling member 33 is fixed on the drive shaft 3 and between the radial end surfaces of the members 33 and 34 facing each other is a parthelical spring disc 35 the ends 40 and 41 of which are bent over oppositely in the axial direction. The end faces of these bent over ends engage indentations 36 formed in the adjacent, radial end faces of the members 33 and 34. The spring force effective in the direction of a couple position is, with this arrangement, derived from the axial, resilient deforrnability of the disc. In this case, the cord 7 may of course be guided perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 3. If the rotary member 34 is rotated relatively to the shaft, by the tensions in the cord 7, then the indentations 36 engage the ends 40 and 41 of the spring ring 35 so that the coupling member 33 and the drive shaft 3 rotate. When the cord is unwound fully from the rotary member, the spring ring 35 slides over the radial end faces of the members 33 and 34, without finding anything to engage, so that the coupling member 33 and the drive shaft freewheel.

In the above-described examples, the winding on of the cord is effected by pushing back of the vehicle, in the direction opposite to that of driving. Also in the case of this rotation, the one-way rotary coupling provided in each specific case naturally acts as a drive connection, in this case for the transmission of a movement of rotation from the drive shaft 3 to the rotary member 6, 21 or 34 which is to be rotated rearwardly.

In contradistinction thereto, there are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 means for permitting rotation of the rotary member 6 or 21 or 34, for the winding on of the cord by means of a displacement in the drive direction of the vehicle. In both of these arrangements the drive shaft, rotary member and drive wheels 5 are resiliently mounted, so that the housing can be pushed downwardly to effect relative vertical movement between the housing 1 and the wheels 5. In FIG. 7, a bevel wheel 44 is mounted on the housing for rotation. If the housing is pressed downwardly then bevel wheel 44 engages spur gears 45 and 46 to form a type of differential gear 42. During the winding-on step, the gearwheel 45, which is coaxial and fixed to one of the wheels 5 meshes with the bevel wheel 44 which engages on a diametrically opposite peripheral portion of the gearwheel 46 which is coaxial and fixed to the rotary member 6. Rotation of the drive wheel 5 and therewith of the drive shaft 3 is then converted, via the bevel wheel and the gearwheels 45 and 46, into an oppositely directed rotation of the rotary member 6. It vw'll readily be appreciated that each of the one-way clutches described freewheels during relative rotary movement of this kind, so that the winding-on process may take place unhindered. As soon as the displacement on the vehicle has been terminated, the body springs up to disengage the bevel wheel 44 from spur gears 45 and 46, so that the rotary member 6, which is then driven in the opposite direction of rotation by the cord, drives the drive shaft 3 and therewith the drive wheels 5.

FIG. 8 shows the actuation of the rotary member 6, 21 or 34 by means of a special further wheel 47 which is arranged between the drive wheels 5 and which, in the inoperative position, is displaced, with its axle 51, along a guideway 50 extending obliquely away from the travel plane and in the drive direction. With the aid of a resilient member, such as a rubber band (not shown), the wheel is retained in this position. Fixed coaxially to the wheel 47 is a gearwheel 48 and fixed coaxially with the drive shaft 3 is a further gearwheel 49. Resilient mounting of the drive shaft is effected by springs 53 in slots 52. When the housing is pressed down, the axle 51 of wheel 47 slides down slot 50, and gearwheels 48 and 49 engage, and the further wheel 47 contacts the floor. If the vehicle is then pushed forward wheel 47 rotates causing the cord to be wound onto the rotary member. At the same time the one-way clutch freewheels, allowing both the wheel 47 and the drive wheels 5 to rotate in contact with the floor. The different wheel sizes of the wheels 47 and 5 and the substantially identical size of the gearwheels 48 and 49 permit the distance through which the vehicle needs to be pushed to effect the complete winding-on process to be made substantially smaller than the distance which the vehicle travels under the influence of the drive and the subsequent freewheeling motion. A similar effect is provided by making the gearwheel 45 larger than the gearwheel 46 of the arrangement shown in FIG. 7.

If desired, the shifting relatively to the travel plane of the axle for the drive wheels 5 or the drive shaft 3 and the rotary member 6, 21 or 34 may also be effected by providing a flexible longitudinal support which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and one of the ends of which is connected to the housing, whereas the other end constitutes a bearing for the axle arrangement. The one-way rotary clutch may include a spring which is arranged on the rotary member and which bears under radial pressure on the periphery of the drive shaft 3 and provides a drive connection in one direction by engaging in a recess machined in the periphery of the drive shaft. Similar bevelled faces to those illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to prevent the overloading of the cord, may of course also be provided in the clutches illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The transmissions discussed in connection with the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 and reducing of the necessary displacement during winding on are, of course, not limited to the use of reversing gearing 42, 43 for a forwardly directed displacement of the vehicle. in a similar manner, a transmission of this kind, which is adapted to be put into operation by displacement of the drive shaft relatively to the housing during the winding-on step, may also be designed in the form of two gearwheels of varying size, which are arranged on a pivot and are fixed relative to the housing, and are connected with a gearwheel on the drive shaft 3 and with a gearwheel coaxially fixed on the rotary member 6.

It should also be emphasized that the reversing gearing is most advantageous, and that the winding on of the cord may be effected both by rearward displacement of the vehicle without pressure on the housing and also by forward displacement of the vehicle with pressure on the housing. In this way, by pushing the vehicle to and fro several times, over an extremely short travel path, it is possible to produce enough energy for a considerable travel distance in the drive direction.

What! claim is:

l. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. a housing; 1

b. drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

0. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means;

(1. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate;

f. said one-way clutch being arranged between said rotary member and said drive means and having a projecting abutment and a spring member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said spring and abutment disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said spring and abutment are resiliently urged into the interengaging relation; and

g. said rotary member including a spirally arcuate spring and wherein said drive means includes a radial projection interengageable with an end of said spring during rotation of said drive means and rotary member in said one rotational sense, said spring flexing outwardly when relative movement occurs in the opposite sense to permit said freewheeling.

2. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. ahousing;

b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

0. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means;

d. a one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate;

f. said one-way clutch means on said drive means and said rotary member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said means disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said means are resiliently urged into the interengaging relation; and

g. means to secure said resilient cord to said rotary member on one side thereof, a sawtooth formation on the inner surface of said rotary member at a location diametrically opposite said cord securing means and a further cooperating sawtooth formation on the outer surface of said drive means.

3. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. a housing;

b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means and axially displaceable on said drive means;

d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and

f. a coupling member secured to said drive means for rotation therewith, radial end surfaces on said coupling member and rotary member facing each other, indentations in said end faces, a resilient helical spring member surrounding said drive means and abutting said end faces and engageable in said indentations in said one rotational sense and stop means on said drive means prevent axial displacement of said rotary member there beyond.

4. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a a housing;

b a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

c a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means;

d at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and

f. said one-way clutch including interengaging means which flex for permitting said one-way clutch to slip when the tension in said resilient cord reaches a given value thereby preventing elongation of said resilient cord beyond its proportionality limit.

5. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. ahousing;

b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means;

d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling efiective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate;

. means preventing the elongation of said resilient cord beyond the proportionality limit thereof; and

g. a stop on said housing and an abutment on said rotary member, said rotary member being displaceable when the tension in said resilient cord reaches a given value to a position wherein said stop and abutment engage to prevent rotation of said rotary member.

6. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. a housing;

b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing;

c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means,

d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense;

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and

f. ground engaging wheels secured to said drive means and means for temporarily connecting said wheels to said rotary member, whereby when said toy is pushed so that said wheels are rotated in a forward moving direction, said rotary member rotates in the direction opposite said one direction to wind said resilient cord thereon.

7. A moving toy such as a top vehicle comprising, in combination:

a. a housing having housing bearings;

b. a drive means mounted on and rotatable with respect to said rotary member;

c. a rotary member rotatably mounted on said housing and in said housing bearings;

d. a one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; and

e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member and arranged to extend from said rotary member in a direction substantially parallel to said one rotational sense and be in tension while said rotary member is at rest, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate.

8. A toy as claimed in claim 7, wherein said one-way clutch comprises means on said drive shaft and said rotary member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said means disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said means are resiliently urged into the interengaging relation.

9. A toy as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rotary member includes a spirally arcuate spring and wherein said drive shaft includes a radial projection interengageable with an end of said spring during rotation of said drive shaft and rotary member in said one rotational sense, said spring flexing outwardly when relative movement occurs in the opposite sense to permit said freewheeling.

10. A toy as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising means to secure said resilient cord to said rotary member on one side thereof, a sawtooth formation on the inner surface of said rotary member at a location diametrally opposite said cord securing means and a further cooperating sawtooth formation on the outer surface of said drive shaft.

11. A toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive means is a drive shaft and said rotary member is mounted centrally of said drive shaft, the latter bending when said tension reaches said given value to said position.

12. A toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive means is a drive shaft and said rotary member is movable as a whole transversely of its length to said position when said tension reaches said given value.

13. A toy as claimed in claim 12 and further including resilient split bearings permitting said rotary member to move transversely as a whole.

14. A toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive means are resiliently mounted in said housing, wherein a bevel wheel is carried rigidly for rotation in said housing, wherein one of said wheels is provided with a first gear and the rotary member is provided with a second gear, whereby pressing down and forward pushing of said housing engages said bevel wheel with said first and second gears to rotate said rotary member in the direction opposite said one direction.

15. A toy as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first gear is larger than said second gear.

16. A toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive means are resiliently mounted in said housing, and further comprising a further wheel, a first gear secured to said further wheel and a second gear secured to said rotary member and engaging said first gear whereby pressing down and forward pushing of said housing engages said further wheel with ground to rotate said rotary member in the direction opposite said first direction.

17. A toy as claimed in claim 16, wherein said ground-engaging wheels are of larger diameter than said further wheel.

18. A toy as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising axially spaced-apart radial flanges on said rotary member to limit that portion of the surface thereof upon which the resilient cord may be wound.

19. A toy as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising at least one guide roller on said housing effective to guide said resilient cord back and forth along said housing.

20. A toy as claimed in claim 16, wherein said further wheel is displaceably mounted in a guide element which extends in the direction of forward movement of the toy when seen from said drive means and arranged so that depressing the toy and pushing it forward displaces said further wheel backwardly in said guide element until it engages said second gear with said first gear, whereby said further wheel is caused to rotate and wind up said resilient extensible cord, and further including a spring element arranged such that when the toy is released said wheel is pulled forward within said guide element with the aid of said spring element until said first and second gears are disengaged from one another. 

1. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing; b. drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means; d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; f. said one-way Clutch being arranged between said rotary member and said drive means and having a projecting abutment and a spring member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said spring and abutment disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said spring and abutment are resiliently urged into the interengaging relation; and g. said rotary member including a spirally arcuate spring and wherein said drive means includes a radial projection interengageable with an end of said spring during rotation of said drive means and rotary member in said one rotational sense, said spring flexing outwardly when relative movement occurs in the opposite sense to permit said freewheeling.
 2. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing; b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means; d. a one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; f. said one-way clutch means on said drive means and said rotary member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said means disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said means are resiliently urged into the interengaging relation; and g. means to secure said resilient cord to said rotary member on one side thereof, a sawtooth formation on the inner surface of said rotary member at a location diametrically opposite said cord securing means and a further cooperating sawtooth formation on the outer surface of said drive means.
 3. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing; b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means and axially displaceable on said drive means; d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and f. a coupling member secured to said drive means for rotation therewith, radial end surfaces on said coupling member and rotary member facing each other, indentations in said end faces, a resilient helical spring member surrounding said drive means and abutting said end faces and engageable in said indentations in said one rotational sense and stop means on said drive means prevent axial displacement of said rotary member there beyond.
 4. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a a housing; b a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means; d at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said coRd is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and f. said one-way clutch including interengaging means which flex for permitting said one-way clutch to slip when the tension in said resilient cord reaches a given value thereby preventing elongation of said resilient cord beyond its proportionality limit.
 5. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing; b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means; d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; f. means preventing the elongation of said resilient cord beyond the proportionality limit thereof; and g. a stop on said housing and an abutment on said rotary member, said rotary member being displaceable when the tension in said resilient cord reaches a given value to a position wherein said stop and abutment engage to prevent rotation of said rotary member.
 6. A moving toy such as a toy vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing; b. a drive means rotatably mounted on said housing; c. a rotary member rotatable with respect to said drive means; d. at least one one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate; and f. ground engaging wheels secured to said drive means and means for temporarily connecting said wheels to said rotary member, whereby when said toy is pushed so that said wheels are rotated in a forward moving direction, said rotary member rotates in the direction opposite said one direction to wind said resilient cord thereon.
 7. A moving toy such as a top vehicle comprising, in combination: a. a housing having housing bearings; b. a drive means mounted on and rotatable with respect to said rotary member; c. a rotary member rotatably mounted on said housing and in said housing bearings; d. a one-way clutch operatively connecting said rotary member to said drive means in one rotational sense; and e. a resiliently extensible cord secured to said housing and to said rotary member and arranged to extend from said rotary member in a direction substantially parallel to said one rotational sense and be in tension while said rotary member is at rest, whereby said cord may be wound around said rotary member and be caused to stretch during such winding, said cord, when said drive means is released, unwinding to cause said rotary member to rotate in said one rotational sense and rotate said drive means until said cord is unwound, said one-way clutch thereafter freewheeling effective to permit said drive means to continue to rotate.
 8. A toy as claimed in claim 7, wherein said one-way clutch comprises means on said drive shaft and said rotary member interengageable in said one rotational sense, said means disengaging in the opposite rotational sense and wherein said means are resiliently urged into the intErengaging relation.
 9. A toy as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rotary member includes a spirally arcuate spring and wherein said drive shaft includes a radial projection interengageable with an end of said spring during rotation of said drive shaft and rotary member in said one rotational sense, said spring flexing outwardly when relative movement occurs in the opposite sense to permit said freewheeling.
 10. A toy as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising means to secure said resilient cord to said rotary member on one side thereof, a sawtooth formation on the inner surface of said rotary member at a location diametrally opposite said cord securing means and a further cooperating sawtooth formation on the outer surface of said drive shaft.
 11. A toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive means is a drive shaft and said rotary member is mounted centrally of said drive shaft, the latter bending when said tension reaches said given value to said position.
 12. A toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive means is a drive shaft and said rotary member is movable as a whole transversely of its length to said position when said tension reaches said given value.
 13. A toy as claimed in claim 12 and further including resilient split bearings permitting said rotary member to move transversely as a whole.
 14. A toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive means are resiliently mounted in said housing, wherein a bevel wheel is carried rigidly for rotation in said housing, wherein one of said wheels is provided with a first gear and the rotary member is provided with a second gear, whereby pressing down and forward pushing of said housing engages said bevel wheel with said first and second gears to rotate said rotary member in the direction opposite said one direction.
 15. A toy as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first gear is larger than said second gear.
 16. A toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drive means are resiliently mounted in said housing, and further comprising a further wheel, a first gear secured to said further wheel and a second gear secured to said rotary member and engaging said first gear whereby pressing down and forward pushing of said housing engages said further wheel with ground to rotate said rotary member in the direction opposite said first direction.
 17. A toy as claimed in claim 16, wherein said ground-engaging wheels are of larger diameter than said further wheel.
 18. A toy as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising axially spaced-apart radial flanges on said rotary member to limit that portion of the surface thereof upon which the resilient cord may be wound.
 19. A toy as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising at least one guide roller on said housing effective to guide said resilient cord back and forth along said housing.
 20. A toy as claimed in claim 16, wherein said further wheel is displaceably mounted in a guide element which extends in the direction of forward movement of the toy when seen from said drive means and arranged so that depressing the toy and pushing it forward displaces said further wheel backwardly in said guide element until it engages said second gear with said first gear, whereby said further wheel is caused to rotate and wind up said resilient extensible cord, and further including a spring element arranged such that when the toy is released said wheel is pulled forward within said guide element with the aid of said spring element until said first and second gears are disengaged from one another. 